The present invention relates generally to paperboard carriers for articles such as beverage bottles. More particularly, it relates to a basket-style carrier in which the articles are arranged in four parallel rows.
One traditional paperboard carrier for articles such as beverage bottles is the basket-style carrier. An example of such a carrier is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,009. The carrier includes side, end and bottom walls, and is typically used with articles grouped in two rows. Located between the two rows is a medial panel which connects the end walls and includes an opening to provide a handle by which the basket may be carried. In its usual form, this carrier also includes partition panels extending between the medial panel and the side walls, to define individual cells into which the articles may be placed.
Basket-style carriers are normally manufactured and shipped in a glued but collapsed condition. The end walls are folded at the medial panel, so that they are collapsed onto themselves to bring the side walls together. The medial panel is thus displaced longitudinally with respect to the side walls. For use, such as at a beverage bottling facility, the basket is erected by moving the medial panel back into alignment with the side walls. The end walls are brought into an unfolded position, and the set-up basket is available to be loaded with the articles to be carried.
Attempts have been made to develop basket-style carriers for larger multiples of articles arranged in more than two rows. For example, in a carrier for twelve beverage bottles, the articles may be arranged in four rows, two rows located on each side of the handle. However, the large size of such a carrier and the complex structure required for the partitions make it difficult to design such a carrier in which the normal folding from collapsed to erected condition can be carried out. In addition, the length of the required bottom wall makes it difficult to provide a bottom wall with sufficient rigidity to support the weight of four rows of articles.
One example of a basket carrier for articles arranged in four rows can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,129. The carrier disclosed therein satisfies the strength requirements of the bottom carrier panel, since the bottom wall is connected to both side walls and both end walls by either fold lines or secured glue flaps. However, this carton construction is disadvantageous in that it requires special equipment to set up and glue the article carrier at the appropriate time. It is not possible to completely preglue and then collapse the carrier as with a conventional basket carrier, since the bottom panel when the carrier is completed is attached on all four sides.
Accordingly, a need exists for a basket-style carrier which can be erected from a collapsed condition using conventional techniques that is capable of carrying articles arranged in four rows.